Shipping crate



E. A. M CORMICK Feb. 26, 1924.-

' SHIPPING CRATE Original Filed Oct. 2'7. 1 921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 26, 1924.-

E. A. MCCORMICK SHIPPING CRATE Original Filed Oct. 27. 192- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [ZZZ/5272177" W RM MW dru f M W .M

Feb. 26, 1924; 1,485,140

E.'.A. MCCORMICK SHIPPING URATE Original Filed 0ct.'2 7. 1921 s Sheets-Sheet s Q. I N H g k [16772755555 [oz/E1720] Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

UNITED sures PATENT m EARL ALLEN MCCORMICK, or ANDERSON, INDIANA, ssiGNon r0 REMY ELECTRIC COMPANY, oF-ANnnns0N,-rNn1-ANA, A CORPORATION or -INDIANA.

sHIrP'ING CRATE.

Application filed October 27, 1921, serial No. 5103127. Renewed :rui 30,1923.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, EARL A-mnN McCon- MICK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Anderson, county of Madison, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping Crates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to "shipping crates and its principal objects are to provide a crate of minimum weight and dimensions, having a maximum number of receptacles to receive articles such as dynamo-electricmachines and other devices used in connection with internal-combustion engines, thereby to reduce the cost of transp'oitati-on of such articles. 7

Further objects are to rovide a crate which may be easily loade placed in secure position in the transporting vehicle and which, after unloading may be readily reassembled in compact form for return shipment to the original shipper.

The above mentioned objects are attained by providing a crate, including a base upon which a plurality of frames are adapted to be placed in stacked relation. These frames are each provided with a plurality of notches or indent's so positioned relatively to "each other as to form a plurality of receptacles in each of which such articles as dyiiaiiibelectric-machines orithe like my be held. Clamping devices are provided which will hold the frames in article gripping position after the crate has been loaded.

The handling of. the ioadea mate. 'is' greatly facilitated by the provision of feet on the base thereof, which peiflrnit the pushing of a dolly or lifting'triick thereunder, thereby facilitating the loading of the crate into the freightcar. I

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following descri tion, reference being had to the accompan in drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig 1 i a side elevation of a crate fully loaded, resting upon a truck, shown in dotted lines; 7 V

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a loaded crate;

Fig. 3 is anend elevation of the shipping crate; Fig. 4 is a part sectional end view of a railway freight car showing the "side'w'ise relative positions of the crates in the car;

and I Fig. '5 is a part longitudinal'section of fa railway freight car showing the lengthwise relative positions of the shipping crates; therein. I j I I p Referring to the drawings, the numeral 20 designates a shipping crate, comprising a base portion 21-, haviiig feetQQ secured thereto by means of bolts and nuts 23. On the upper side of the base thereare :provided two longitudinal members 24 and 25 the same l'engthfas the base, bi1t positioned inwardly from the edges thereof as isclearly shown in Fig. '3. At each end of the longitudinal members are provided cross ineni; bers 26, which together with the longitudinal members are secured to the base by means bi bolts 27. h V I The longitudinal ineinbers and 25 have transverse indents '28 and 29 formed in their upper surfaces, the ihdents of one being in staggered relation with the iiidents of the other as can be clearly seen in the Fig. 1 wherein the indeiits of the ineniber are shown in full line's whilethe indents of -the inember Qtiaie shown dotted. is also shown in the Fig. 1, the ind'ents ma e lined with any suitable fibrous material 30 such as leather or felt, in order to pre ent the niai'riiig or scratching of the articles to be packed. Near each end of the base 21 are provided tw'o. upwardly eatadiag rods 31 and 32', reds having their lower ends afn chored iii the base by iiieahs of nuts 33fahd 34, and projecting through the longitudinal members '24: and 25 at apoint between their first two adjacent indents 28 and 29 a' ch end of the longitudinal members pectively. Cooperating with and adapted to be placed in stacked relation with tliebase 21, are a plurality of names 35. These frames correspond in size to the frameineluding longitudinal members 24 and '25 and cfOSS m mbers 26, Siifd to the base include longitudinal members 36 and37 and end inenibers 88 held together by ineans of 5 to vertically align with the indents 28 formed in the longitudinal member 24 secured to the base 21. Likewise the longitudinal members 37 are provided with oppositely disposed indents 42 and 43 formed in their lower and upper surfaces, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, and are likewise arranged in alinement with the indents 29 in member 25.

Each crate has a clamping lid-frame 44, similar to the frames 35, the longitudinal members thereof, however, being provided with indents 45 and 46 in their lower surfaces only.

The rods 31 and 32 mentioned heretofore project upwardly through the frames 35 and the lid-frame 44, the portion of said rods projecting beyond the lid-frame being screw threaded to take nuts 48.

By referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it may be seen that for the sake of illustration, the crate is shown loaded with cylindrical shaped dynamo-electric-machines.

When loading the crate, the packer first places articles to be shipped in each of the indents 28 and 29 formed in the lower frame secured to the base. He then places a frame 35 in position so that this frame will align with the base frame when the rods 31 and 32 are fitted in the holes provided in said frame, forcing said frame downwardly on the rods until the downwardly facing in dents 40 and 42 engage with the articles lying in the indents 28 and 29 respectively. Following this further articles are placed in indents 41 and 43 of the frame. Further frames 35 are then placed in position and similarly loaded. When the required number of frames have been placed in position and loaded, the lid-frame is fitted over the rods, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The nuts 48 are then screwed onto the rods 31 and 32 and screwed down against a plate 47 on the lid-frame until all of the frames are tightly drawn together causing the articles to be rigidly and securely held in this position.

As has been described heretofore, the longitudinal members of the frames are located inwardly from the edge of the base. This is done to prevent the exposed ends of packed articles in one crate to accidently collide with exposed ends of other crates.

Feet 22are provided on the base so as to permit a dolly or lifting truck to be pushed beneath the crate thereby facilitating its handling when moving it from the loading room to the transportation vehicle.

These crates may be so proportioned in size that a predetermined number thereof will just fit within a box car as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thus tending to eliminate the possibility of accidental shifting of the crates in the car during transportation and thus eliminating the bracing thereof.

From the aforegoing description, it may be seen that the following advantages are obtained by the use of a crate of this type.

One advantage resides in the saving in cost of boxes as heretofore articles of manufacture or more specifically dynamo-electric machines were packed in boxes containing two machines, thereby necessitating a large amount of boxes for shipping a carload of electric machines.

Another advantage is the saving in the cost of packing and loading these boxes into a freight car. Each box when packed had to be nailed up and each handled separately, this method requiring more men and time to handle a certain amount of dynamo-electric machines. By 'using the present type of crate one man can readily pack fifty or more dynamo machines in a very short time and due to the structure of this crate may very easily push a lifting or dolly truck thereunder and transport same from the shipping room into the freight car with a minimum of time and energy.

A still further advantage resides in the fact that much material is saved by the use of a shipping crate of this type in preference to boxes inasmuch as boxes are generally scrapped after the articles of manufacture have reached their destination whereas the present type of crate may be, when emptied, packed in very compact form, loaded into a freight car and returned to the point of shipping thereby permitting repeated use of these crates.

It may be understood that these crates can be constructed to take a dynamo-electric machine of practically any shape but for matter of convenience the drawings of the present application show a dynamo-electric machine of the round type.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adapted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow:

1. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames including longi tudinal members provided with transverse indents in the upper and lower surfaces there of, forming receptacles for articles of manufacture; of a base adapted to have the frames placed in stacked relation thereon; and means secured to the base for rigidly holding the frames in position thereon whereby the articles of manufacture will be securely held in position in the indents.

2. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames including longitudinal members provided with transverse indents in the upper and lower surfaces thereof, forming receptacles for articles of manufacture; of a base adapted to have the frames placed in stacked relation thereon; means secured to the base for rigidly hold ing the frames in position thereon whereby the articles of manufacture will be securely held in position in the indents; and a plurality of feet secured to the base for raising same from floor to facilitate the transporting of the loaded crate.

3. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames including longitudinal members provided with transverse indents in the upper and lower surfaces thereof, forming receptacles for articles of manufacture; of a base adapted to have the frames placed in stacked relation thereon; and a plurality of rods having one end secured to the base and adapted to project through the longitudinal members of the frames stacked on said base, said rods being provided with clamping means for rigidly holding the frames in articles of manufacture gripping position on the base.

4. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames including longitudinal members provided with transverse indents in the upper and lower surfaces thereof forming receptacles for articles of manufacture; of a base adapted to have the frames placed in stacked relation thereon and projecting beyond the sides of the longitudinal members of the frames; and means secured to said base and associated with the frames for clamping said frames together to rigidly hold the articles of manufacture in the indents thereof.

5. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames including longitudinal members provided with transverse indents in the upper and lower surfaces thereof forming receptacles for articles of manufacture, the indents of one member being arranged in staggered relation to the indents of the other member; of a base adapted to have the frames placed in stacked relation thereon; and means secured to the base for rigidly holding the frames in position thereon whereby the article of manufacture will be securely held in position in the indents.

6. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames including longitudinal members, the upper and lowersurfaces of each being provided with transverse arcuate indents shaped to form receptacles for round type dynamo-electric machines; of a fibrous lining in each of said indents; a base adapted to have the frames placed in stacked relation'thereon; and means secured to the base for rigidly holding the frames in position thereon whereby the articles of manufacture will be securely held in position in the indents.

7. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames having indents to form receptacles for round type dynamoelectric machines; of a base adapted to have the frames placed thereon in stacked relation and being of such a size as to permit the nesting of a plurality of crates in a freight car, thus substantially filling same and preventing accidental dislodgment of the crates during transportation and means for rigidly holding the frames on the base to securely grip the articles of manufacture between the frames.

8. In a shipping crate, the combination with a plurality of frames each having a member provided with notches on opposite sides thereof; and means for locating the frames in substantially parallel relation with the notches of adjacent frames opposite one another to provide receptacles for articles to be transported, and for clamping the frames against the articles located between the frames.

In testimony whereof I hereto a-flix my signature.

EAR-L ALLEN MQCORMIGK. 

